482 
ported as inferior to that of 1874, especially in red wines. Inferior 
brands are in excess of the demand of tbe market, and a large stock of 
the three previous years is left over. Mission-grape wines are delivered 
on board ship for 50 cents per gallon, while higher-class wines reach 80 
cents or $1. A large quantity of grapes is made into raisins by the 
Alden process, which has been found very successful. 
Sheep-farming by its old methods has about reached its limit. Sheep 
ranches are now too valuable for this branch of production, and it is 
difficult to secure a large run. Sheep are driven in large flocks into 
New Mexico and Colorado. The alfalfa or lucern grass is a new ele- 
ment in the problem of sheep-raising, which promises to overcome the 
most important difficulties with which this industry has to contend. 
The influx of population is steady and an addition of 60,000 is ex- 
pected during 1876. This immigration has created a considerable de- 
mand for home-produce, and especially has kept the flouring-mills busy 
at remunerative prices. 
BRAZILIAN STATISTICS.—The first regular census of the Brizilian Em- 
pire was completed several months ago, and the tables officially published 
July 31, 1876. These show the total population to be 11,441,284, of 
whom 9,930,478 are free and 1,510,806 slaves. The free population in- 
cludes 243,481 foreigners. As the territory of the empire ineludes 
3,856,000 square miles, an equal distribution would not allow three 
persons to each square mile. As the population is mostly gathered in 
a few localities, immense regions of unoccupied territory are found in 
all parts of the empire. A considerable population in these wastes were 
too isolated for the census-takers, and hence a small addition may be 
made by estimate to the aggregate reported in the tables. The pop- 
ulation in 1820 was estimated at 3,500,000, and at the accession of 
the present enlightened emperor, in 1831, at 5,000,000. Immigration has 
never been very large, and hence the natural increase must have been 
extraordinary to triple the population in a little over half a century. 
This is one of the most remarkable facts in the history of race develop- 
ment, especially in view of the destructive visitations of yellow fever, 
small-pox, and other epidemics operating in the leading centers of popu- 
lation on the coast. The late war with Paraguay reduced the population 
at least 100,000, including lives lost and slaves escaped. 
The facts in regard to sex have been very imperfectly ascertained. 
Of the free population 4,318,699 are males and 4,100,973 females, leaving 
1,510,806 whose sex is not stated—probably children under the age of 
puberty, which arrives very early in the southern European races 
that peopled South America. These figures show about 105 males 
to each 100 females. Of the males 2,975,446, or 69 per cent., are single ; 
1,165,866, or 27 per cent., are married; 177,387, or about 4 per cent., are 
widowers. Of the females, 2,752,582, or 67 per cent. are unmarried ; 
1,121,000, or 274 per cent., are married, and 127,391, or 53 per cent., are 
widows. Of the male slaves 711,869 are reported as single, 73,079 as 
married, and 20,222 as widowers. Of the female slaves 622,304 are re- 
ported as single, 63,010 as married, and 19,816 as widows. This enor- 
mous disproportion indicates a very low social morality among the slave 
population. 
The census-tables embrace 15,848 blind, 11,595 deaf-mute, 40,3869 
crippled, and 15,309 idiotic and insane individuals. The Indians inhabit- 
ing the unoccupied Brazilian territories exhibit few, if any, cases of these 
infirmities. The Brazilian civilized population, however, embraces an 
unusual number of individuals over one hundred years of age, a few in 
